Furrow damming implement



Feb. 4, 1941. E. w. FICKEN Re 21,709

FURROW DAMMING IMPLEMENT Original Filed July 29, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR ATTORNEYJ Reissued Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE21,709 FURROW DAMIVIING IMPLEMENT Elmer W. Ficken, Bison,

Kana, assigncr to Deere & Company, Moline, 111., a corporation ofIllinois 41 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in furrow damming, or blocking,implements for attachment to lister plows to block furrows during theplowing thereof.

As explanatory, in the preparation of crop land it is the practice toplow furrows or ditches by means of lister plows and to block thefurrows at intervals to hold the water and soil there-in and therebyobviate soil erosion.

m The primary object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide asimply constructed, efficient implement for attachment to a lister plowand automatically operative to pick up earth behind the plow and todeposit same at substantially regular intervals in. the furrow or ditchbeing plowed or replowed, as the case may be. I

Still another object is to provide a device of the class and for thepurpose set forth, adapted to automatically accumulate and dumpsubstantially uniform loads of earth in the furrow and which iscontrolled, primarily, as regards dumping, by the accumulation of theload therein.

A more specific object is to provide an implement of the class set forthcomprising a revolving scoop and an escape-ment mechanism for timing therevolution thereof, automatically released when the scoop hasaccumulated a load.

Other objects are to provide an implement for the purposes. above setforth which may be readily attached to the beam of lister plows of theusual types, is light in weight, strong and durable, simple inconstruction and economical to manufacture.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presentlyappearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention and one modificationthereof have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth indetail in the following description, and defined in the claims appendedhereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the preferred embodiment of myinvention, the parts being shown in normal position.

Figure 2 is a view in top plan.

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal vertical section taken on the line3-3 of Figure l with the parts shown in dumping position.

Figure 4 is a view partly in side elevation and 50 partly in section ofone modification of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a view in rear elevation of said modification.

Reference being had to the drawings by nu-' '55 merals, my improvedimplement, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, comprises a yoke-like framel, a segmental ground engaging shoe 2 thereon, and 'an earthaccumulating tool in the form of a transversely disposed blade orsegmental scoop 3 mounted in the shoe 2.

The frame I comprises opposed front arms 6 spaced apart laterally inparallel relation, by rollers I, and rear diverging yoke arms 8. Thefront arms 6 are designed to be attached to the beam 5' of a listerplow, so' that the frame I is vertically movable thereon, as shown forinstance in Figure 4, by means of a universal joint I secured to saidbeam for vertical adjustment thereon bymeans of clips, as at 8.Connection of the frame I to the lister plow by means of the universaljoint 1' provides for vertical and lateral swinging movement of theframe relative to the lister plow.

The shoe 2 comprises a narrow segmental band of suitable metal curved inthe arc of a circleand rotatably mounted in said yoke arms 8 forrotation, eocentrically, about a. horizontal axis transverse to saidframe I. The means for mounting the shoe 2 includes a V-shaped spidermember 9 bolted at its apex, as at It], to the inner face of the shoe 2and forming a pair of divergent spokes ll terminating in right-angledspindles I2 journaled in said yoke arms 8.

The scoop 3 is formed in the arc of a smaller segment than the shoe 2,and comprises a bottom wall l3 having straight front and rear edges Itand I5, respectively, and side walls IS. The scoop 3 is secured intheshoe 2, in any suitable manner, with its bottom wall l3 centeredthereon at one end of said shoe and with its front edge i3 extendingthrough the gap between the ends of said shoe- A pair of side bars I'lsecured to said side walls I6, respectively, and pivotally mounted onthe spindles 12, complete the means for mounting the shoe 2 on saidframe I. Thus, the scoop and shoe comprise a rotatable scraper assemblywhich rotates relative to the draft members 8 about a transverselyextending axis passing through the spindles I2. I

In the normal position of the shoe 2 and scoop 3, the front edge of. thescoop drags on the ground in the furrow and lightly scrapes the sides orthe furrow to pick up a load of earth therefrom as the implement isdrawn along the furrow by the plow.

The rotatable assembly is held against rotation by an escapementmechanism to be described presently, which gauges the height of the pileof earthaccumulated bythe scoop, and when the height of the pile reachesa predetermined value, the escapement mechanism is actuated in a mannorto be described, allowing the scraper assembly to rotate and deposit theaccumulated earth in the furrow to form a dam. The dams are thus madeall the same height, regardless of the con.- dition of the soil or thespeed of advance.

The before-mentioned escapement mechanism comprises an arm 4 pivoted,'asat I8, on the inner face of the shoe 2, opposite the scoop 3, betweenlugs IS on said shoe, to rock vertically in the plane of the latter. Thearm 4 carries detent means in the form of a short frontlever end 20projecting through a slot ill in the shoe 2 outside the latter. The rearlongendfl of the arm 4 is adapted to extend into the rear end'of thescoop 3 and is provided with a plate or gauge 23 secured thereto. Thearm A is balanced on its pivot l8 so that in the normal position of theparts it extends substantially diametrically of the shoe 2 with theplate 23 disposed in the rear end of the scoop 3 and its end 20extending'over and engaging the roller 5. The roller 5 is mounted on abracket 24 pivoted, as at 25, on the frame bars 6 to be swung into andout of the path of movement of the end 20 of the lever 4. A hooked bolt2t vertically movable in a bracket 21 on the bar 5 and tensioned byspring 28, is operatively connected to the bracket 24 to normally retainthe roller 5 in the path of movement of the end 20 of the arm 4-. Inthis position of the roller 5 the end 22 of the arm 4 is urged about thepivot H3 in a direction opposite to that of rotation of the shoe 2. Astop pin29 on said arm 4 engaging the shoe 2, limits rotation of the arm.4 in this direction. When the scoop 3'has picked up a. maximum load,the earth therein accumulating against the plate 23 rocks the arm 4 onits pivot IB so that the end 20 thereof wipes past the roller 5 andreleases the shoe 2 and the scoop 3. The shoe 2 is the-n rotated, by thedrag of the front edge M of said scoop on the ground, until the end ofthe shoe 2 opposite the. scoop 3 engages the ground, at which point thescoop 3 is inverted. From this point on, the shoe 2 is rotated byperipheral engagement of the same with the ground until the parts areagain in the normal position previously described, During rotation ofthe scoop 3 to'its invented'po'sition, the earth is dumped into thefurrow. If it is desired to dump the scoop while partially loaded, or inthe event of failure of the arm 4 to release the same, the bracket 24may be swung to move the roller 5 to an ineifective position. For thispurpose the bracket 24 is provided with a lever arm 30 to which a cable3| is connected-for swinge ing said bracket 24 on its pivot 25 anddisengaging the roller 5 from the end 20 of the lever 4. As beforestated, the shoe 2 is eccentrically mounted. In this connection, theeccentric mounting is such that when the shoe is rotated from its normalposition, the throw of the same is downward about the spindles l2. Thisis for the purpose of obtaining the proper leverage against the weightof the scoop to facilitate lifting the same off the ground. I

In the modified form of 'theinventionshown inFigures 4 and 5, the shoefeature; is eliminated and a pair of segmental integral scoops 32aremounted in diametrically opposed relation between the yoke arms 33 forrotation concentrically on the frame'l. "In the normal position of thescoops 32 one or the other thereof drags on the ground with its frontedge 35 foremost, the other being in a forward elevated position.

' A pair of e'scapement arms-36 are mounted'on escapement arm 4.

rotated to engageits leading edge with the ground eral engagementtherewith.

the scoops 32, respectively, for co-operation with a roller 31 to holdone or the other of said scoops, whichever the case may be, in normalground engaging position. The operation of the escapement arms 36 andtheir co-operation with the roller 31 is substantially the same asdescribed with reference to'the escapement arm 4. In the operation ofthis form of the invention, when the one scoop 32 has accumulated amaximum load, its escapement arm 38 is released from the roller 31 justas described with reference to the The other scoop 32 is then by thedrag of the first scoop, as will be understood. Under the forward travelof the scoops the second scoop is then forced into the ground tocontinue rotation of the scoops by a periph- In this connection his tobe noted that the escapement arms 36 are mounted on their related scoopsso as to form leading ground engaging members adapted to dig into theground and facilitate rotation of the scoop. Each scoop 32, in thisinstance, is provided with a rear wall 38 to prevent earth from rollinginto the rear edge of the scoop as it comes down onto the surface of theground. The front edge 35 of each scoop 33 is formed with a V- shapednotch 39 located centrally thereof and breaking the continuity of saidfront edge. The purpose of these notches is to prevent the scoop 32frompicking up seed, as for instance when the lister to which they areattached is being used in planting.

The foregoing detailed explanation will, it is believed, suflice toimpart a clear understanding of my invention. The details described are,however, to be understood as illustrative rather than restrictive, andright is herein reserved to modifications thereof falling within thescope of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental scoophaving a front edge and revolubly mounted in said frame for rollingcontact with the ground and to present said edge to the ground inscraping position. to thereby accumulate a load in said scoop, and meansto lock said scoop in said position, said means including meansprojecting interiorly of the scoop for engagement with the materialtherein to 7 thereby release said locking means.

2. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental scoophaving a front edge and revolubly mounted in said frame for rollingcontact with the ground and to present said edge 1 to the ground inscraping position to thereby accumulate a load in said scoop, andescapement devices for locking said scoop in said position andcomprising, an abutment member on said frame, and a pivoted escapementarm on said scoop revolved by thelatter into engagement with saidabutment and movable about its pivot to disengaging position by theaccumulation, of a load in said scoop.

3. In an implement of the class'described, a

frame, a segmental scoop having a front edge and revolubly mounted insaid frame for rolling contact with the ground and to present said edgeto the ground in scraping position to thereby accumulate a load in saidscoop, and escapement the accumulation of a load in said scoop, saidroller being mounted on the frame for movement into and out of effectivepositions, and manipulative means for moving said roller.

4. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental shoerotatably mounted therein forrolling contact with the ground, a. scoopsecured in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the axis of rotation of said shoe, and means to lock said shoeagainst rotation with said edge of the scoop in ground engaging positionto accumulate a load in said scoop and comprising, co-engaglngescapement devices disengaged by the accumulation of a load in saidscoop.

5. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental shoerotatably mounted therein for rolling contact with the ground, a scoopsecured in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the axis of rotation of said shoe, means to lock said shoe againstrotation with said edge of the scoop in ground engaging position toaccumulate a load in said scoop and comprising, co-engaging escapementdevices disengaged by the accumulation of a load in said scoop, andmanipulative means for disengaging said devices at will.

6. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental shoerotatably mounted therein for rolling contact with the ground, a scoopsecured in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the axis of rotation of said shoe, and escapement mechanism to locksaid shoe against rotation with said edge of the scoop in groundscraping position to accumulate a load in said scoop, said mecha nismcomprising, a pivoted escapement arm on said shoe movable to anescapement disabling position by the accumulation of a load in saidscoop.

'7. In an implement of the classdescribed, a frame, a segmental shoerotatably mounted therein for rolling contact with the ground, a scoopsecured in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the axis of rotation of said shoe, and means to lock said shoeagainst rotation with said edge of the scoop in ground engaging positionto accumulate a load in said scoop and comprising, a roller on saidframe, a pivoted escapement arm on said shoe revolved by the latter intoengagement with said roller and movable on its pivot to disengagedposition by the accumulation of a load in said scoop.

8. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental shoerotatably mounted therein for rolling contact with the ground, a. scoopsecured in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the axis of rotation of said shoe, and escapement mechanism to locksaid shoe against rotation with said edge of the scoop in groundscraping position to accumulate a load in said scoop, said mechanismcomprising, an abutment member on said frame, and a pivoted escapementarm on said shoe having a plate at one end thereof and revolved by theshoe to engage the abutment and to position said plate in overlyingrelation to a load being accumulated in said scoop, whereby said arm isdisengaged by the accumulation of said load.

9. In an implement of the class described, a frame, a segmental shoerotatably mounted therein for rolling contact with the ground, a scoopsecured in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the axis of rotation of said shoe, escapement mechanism to locksaid shoe against rotation with said edge of the scoop in groundscraping position to accumulate a load in said scoop, said mechanismcomprising, an abutment member on said frame, a pivoted escapement armon said shoe having a plate at one end thereof and revolved by the shoeto engage the abutment and to position said plate in overlying relationto a load being accumulated in said scoop, whereby said arm isdisengaged by the accumulation of said load, said abutment being movableto ineffective position relative to said arm, and manipulative means formoving said abutment.

10. In an implement of the class described, a travelling frame, asegmental ground engaging shoe rotatably mounted in said frame, a scoopmounted in said shoe at one end thereof and having a front edge parallelwith the aXis of rotation of said shoe and projecting beyond said endthereof, and releasable scoop holding means having a portion thereofprojecting interiorly of the scoop when in holding position forengagement with the material accumulated by said scoop to therebyautomatically release said scoop when a predetermined quantity ofmaterial has accumulated in said scoop, said shoe being so constructedas to lift said scoop When said holding means is in released positionand said scoop is discharging said material.

11. A damming device comprising in combination, a draft member, anearth-engaging tool mounted on said member in a. normally earthengagingposition and rotatable relative thereto out of said earth-engagingposition, detent means for preventing rotation of said tool as thelatter is moved in earth-engaging position, means responsive to theheight of the pile of earth accumulated in front of said tool, fordisabling said detent means thereby allowing said tool to ro tate,whereby said pile of accumulated earth is deposited, means connectedwith said tool for. restoring it to earth-engaging position.

12. A damming device comprising in. combination a draft member, anassembly of earthcollecting blades rotatably mounted on said member,detent means for preventing rotation of said assembly as the latter ismoved with one of said blades in earth-engaging relation, and meansresponsive to the height of the earth collected, for disabling saiddetent means thereby allowing said assembly to rotate whereby thecollected earth is deposited as a. dam, the rotation of said assemblybeing arrested when the latter has rotated to a position in whichanother of said blades is in earth-engaging relation.

13. A damming device adapted to be propelled in a furrow to accumulateloose earth for making clams in the furrow, comprising a scraping toolmovable into and out of earth engaging relation, said tool having ablunt end and a recess in said end to avoid disturbing the seed bed inthe bottom of said furrow, draft means for said tool, and means forcontrolling the movement of said tool out of operative position in saidfurrow to deposit said accumulated earth.

14. In combination, a scraping tool adapted to be propelled in anearth-engaging position for accumulating a pile of earth in front of thetool, said tool being movable out of earth-engaging position by thereaction of said accumulated earth against the tool as the latter movesforwardly, means for holding said tool in earthengaging position duringthe accumulation of said pile, means responsive to the height of saidpile, for disabling said holding means, and means effective upon thesaid tool being moved out of earth-engaging position for restoring saidtool to earth-engaging position.

15. In combination, a scraping tool adapted to be propelled in anearth-engaging position for accumulating a pile of earth in front of thetool, said tool being movable out of earth-engaging position to depositsaid pile, supporting means for said tool, a gauge arm disposed in frontof said tool and pivotally mounted thereon for gauging the height of thepile, and means actuated by the pivotal movement of said arm, forcontrolling the movement of said tool out of earth-engaging position.

16. A damming device comprising in combination a draft member, a toolcarrying member supported on said draft member for rotation about atransverse axis, at least one earth collecting tool mounted on saidcarrying member, releasable detent means for preventing rotation of saidtool-carrying member as the latter is moved forwardly with said tool inearth-engaging relation, and a gauging arm pivotally mounted on one ofsaid members to rotate with the toolcarrying member, and connected tosaid detent means, whereby the earth collected by said earth-engagingtool accumulates under said arm and forces the latter to pivot, therebydisabling said detent means.

17. A damming device comprising in combination a draft member, atool-carrying member supported on said draft member for rotation about atransverse axis, at least one earth collecting tool mounted on saidcarrying member, releasable detent means for preventing rotation of saidtool-carrying member as the latter is moved forwardly with said tool inearth-engagthereby disabling said detent means.

18. An independent unitary damming device for attachment to the shank ofan earth-engaging tool for operation in trailing position behind thelatter, comprising a rotatable scraper assembly including at least oneearth-engaging blade, a draft member connected thereto, and means forpivotally connecting said draft member to said tool shank for lateralswinging movement relative thereto.

19. An independent unitary damming device for attachment to the shank ofan earth-engaging tool for operation in trailing position behind thelatter, comprising a rotatable assembly of earth-engaging blades, adraft member connected thereto, and means for pivotally connecting saiddraft member to said tool shank for lateral and vertical swingingmovement relative thereto.

20. An. independent unitary damming device for attachment to the shankof a furrow-forming tool for operation in the furrow formed thereby,comprising a rotatable scraper assembly including at least oneearth-engaging blade, draft means therefor, and means for pivotallyconnecting said draft means to said tool shank for vertical and. lateralswinging movement relative thereto.

21. A damming device for operation in trailing position behind anagricultural implement, comprising in combination, a draft member,

means for pivotally connecting said draft member to said implementproviding for both lateral and vertical swinging movement relativethereto, an earth-engaging blade mounted on said draft member andmovable relative to said draft member between operative and inoperativepositions as the device is moved forwardly, and means actuated by theearth moved by said blade for controlling. a movement of the blade.

22. An independent unitary damming device for attachment to a furrowforming tool for operation in trailing position in the furrow formedthereby, comprising a draft member, means for pivotally connecting saidmember to said tool for lateral swinging movement relative thereto, anda rotatable scraper assembly connected to said draft member, saidassembly including at least one earth-engaging blade adapted to collectearth from the furrow walls to form dams, said blade having a notch inthe end thereof for the purpose of avoiding disturbance of the seed bedin the'bottom of the furrow.

23. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, an earthengaging scraper blade disposed transversely of the line of advance ofsaid device and adapted to be drawn in a previously formed lister furrowfor accumulating loose soil from the sides thereof and movable betweenearth-engaging and inoperative positions for the purpose of dumping theaccumulated earth to form a dam in said furrow, said blade having acut-away portion in the lower end thereof for the purpose of avoidingdisturbance of the seed bed in the bottom of the furrow.

24. In a damming device, a dam forming tool movable into and out ofearth engaging position, mechanical means responsiveto a predeterminedheight of accumulated earth in front of said tool. for controllng themovement of the tool out of earth-engaging position, and manually operated means for optionally controlling said movement.

25. A damming device comprising a draft member, a scraping tool mountedthereon and rotatable relative thereto about a transversely disposedaxis, means for locking said tool to said draft member in a position forcollecting earth as the implement is drawn forwardly, and a controlmember pivotally connected to said tool and disposed to lie on the pileof collected earth for unlocking said tool from said draft member whensaid pile of earth builds up to a predetermined limit, whereby said toolrotates about said axis and deposits said collected earth.

26. A device of the class described, comprising a draft member, ascraping tool mounted thereon and rotatable relative thereto about atransversely disposed axis, a pair of interengaging locking members onsaid tool and said draft member, respectively, for locking the sametogether in a position for collecting earth as the implement is drawnforwardly, each of said locking members being movably mounted on itsrespective support whereby it is releasable from the other of saidmembers, one of said locking members being resiliently held in lockedposition, and. means for moving the other of said members to unlock saidtool from said draft member.

27. A device of the class described, comprising a draft member, ascraping tool mounted thereon and rotatable relative thereto about atransversely disposed axis, a pair of interengaging locking members onsaid tool and said draft member respectively', for locking the sametogether in a position for collecting earth as the implement is-drawnforwardly, one of said looking members being movably mounted on saiddraft member and having means for manually disengaging it from the otherlocking member, the other of said locking members being movably mountedon said rotatable tool, and means for automatically moving the lastnamed locking member to unlock said tool from said draft member.

28. A device of the class described, comprising a draft member, ascraping tool mounted thereon and rotatable relative thereto about atransversely disposed axis, a pair of interengaging locking members onsaid tool and said draft member, respectively, for locking the sametogether in a position for collecting earth as the implement is drawnforwardly, one of said looking members being mounted on said draftmember and movable relative thereto to disengaged position, and meansfor yieldably holding said locking" member in locked position, the otherof said locking members being movably mounted on said rotatable tool andmovable relative thereto to disengaged position, and control meansswingably mounted on said tool for gauging the amount of collected earthin front of the tool and connected with the last named locking memberfor disengaging the latter when the amount of earth collected reaches apredetermined amount.

29. In a damming device, an earth-engaging tool adapted to operate in afurrow behind a furrow-forming implement to thereby accumulate soil inthe form of a dam across the furrow,

the said tool being normally supported in a depending position in thefurrow and being movable rearwardly and upwardly for depositing theaccumulated soil, mechanism normally bracing the tool against saidrearward and upward movement, means including a member pivotallysupported at its forward end and disposed in a position to be actuatedby the height of the soil accumulated in the furrow, for disabling thebracing mechanism, and means connected with said tool for restoring itto soil-accumulating position after each accumulation of soil has beendeposited.

30. In combination with a liste-r plow a frame supported from the plow,a scraper pivotally supported on the frame and normally locked in oneposition in the frame, means operable by the accumulation of soil by thescraper to release the said scraper, and means, effective by the forwardtravel of the plow to lift the scraper upon being released, and forrestoring the scraper to initial position.

31. In combination with a till-age implement for forming a furrow, aframe supported from the implement, a scraper pivotally supported in theframe to be carried thereby in the furrow, means effective to normallylook the scraper in operative position with respect to the furrow butreleasable by the accumulation of soil scraped up in the furrow ahead ofthe scraper, and

' means for supporting the scraper as it is released and restoring it tolocked position.

32. In combination with a tillage implement for forming a furrow, aframe supported from the implement, a scraper pivotally sup-ported inthe frame to be carried thereby along the furrow transversely extendedtherein, means normally efiective to lock the scraper in scrapingposition in the furrow but releasable by the accumulation of scrapingsin the furrow to a predetermined height ahead of the scraper to therebyfree the scraper, and a means connected with the scraper to restore thescraper to locked position.

33. In combination with a. lister plow a frame supported from the plow,a scraper pivotally supported on the frame and normally locked in oneposition in the frame, means operable by the accumulation of soil by thescraper to release the said scraper, and means effective by the forwardtravel of the plow to turn the scraper through one revolution upon beingreleased and for restoring the scraper to initial position.

34. In combination with an implement including a furrow forming element,a frame supported from the implement, a single scraper pivotally mountedin the frame to be carried thereby in the furrow formed by theimplement, means normally effective to lock the scraper in operativeposition but releasable by action of the accumulation of soil in thefurrow ahead of the scraper to release the scraper, turn it through onecomplete revolution about its axis and restore it to locked position.

35. In combination with a tillage implement for forming a furrow, aframe supported from the implement, a scraper pivotally supported in theframe to be carried thereby in the furrow, meanseffective to normallylook the scraper in operative position with respect to the furrow butreleasable by the accumulation of soil scraped up in the furrow ahead ofthe scraper, and means for supporting the scraper as it is released andcarrying it through one complete: revolution about its axis andrestoring it to locked position.

35. In combination with a tillage implement for forming a furrow, aframe supported from the implement, a scraper pivotally supported in theframe to be carried thereby along the furrow transversely extendedtherein, meansnormally effective to lock the scraper in scrapingposition in the furrow but releasable by the accumulation of scrapingsin the furrow to a predetermined height ahead of the scraper to therebyfree the scraper, and a means connected with the scraper and adapted torotate therewith through one complete revolution about the pivotal axisof the scraper to restore the scraper to locked position.

3'7. A dammer including a tool, means for supporting said tool formovement into and out of operating position, means for normally holdingsaid tool in operative position but releasable by the accumulation ofscrapings in the furrow to a predetermined height ahead of the scraperto thereby free the scraper, and a means connected with the scraper torestore the scraper to locked position.

38. A dammer comprising a frame, a scraper rotatably mounted in saidframe to be propelled thereby, means normally effective to lock thescraper in scraping position, including gauge means responsive to theaccumulation of scrapings to a predetermined height ahead of the scraperto release the scraper, means effective when said scraper is releasedfor rotating it through one complete rotation to scraping position asthe dammer is drawn forwardly, and a support on said scraper extendingforwardly to a point ahead of said scraper, said gauge means beingmounted on the forward end of said support to rotate with said scraperand extending rearwardly toward the latter and being effective to relocksaid scraper when it again reaches its scraping position.

39. A dammer comprising a frame, a scraper rotatably mounted in saidframe to be propelled thereby, means norm-ally effective to lock thescraper in scraping position, including gauge means responsive to theaccumulation of scrapings to a predetermined height ahead or the scraperto release the scraper, and means efiective when said scraper isreleased for rotating it through one complete rotation to scrapingposition as the dammer is drawn forwardly, said gauge means beingmounted to rotate with said scraper and being efiective to relock saidscraper when it again reaches its scraping position.

40. A dammer comprising a frame, a plurality of scrapers angularlyspaced and rotatably mounted in said frame to be propelled thereby,means normally efiective to lock said scrapers successively in scrapingposition, including a gauge means for each scraper responsive to theaccumulation of scrapings to a predetermined height ahead of its scraperto release the same, and means effective when one scraper is releasedfor rotating it to dispose another scraper in in operative position forcollecting earth as the device is drawn forwardly, means responsive tothe height of the collected earth for unlocking said tool from saiddraft member to permit movement into said inoperative position, andmeans connected with said tool and effective after said tool has reachedsaid inoperative position for restoring it to said operative position.

ELMER W. FICKEN.

